


Duet

by OrangeBlossoms



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Post-Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 07:23:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11286450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Nohr and Hoshido engage in a cultural exchange.





	Duet

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of fluff. Takes place several years after the end of Revelation.

They sat on the raised floor just inside of the veranda, Sakura kneeling as Elise prepared to braid her hair. She had grown it out over the years though it still wasn't as long as Takumi’s or Ryoma’s. Elise herself had cut her hair shorter and it now descended part way down her back in loose curls. They had a direct view of a rock garden from Elise’s guest room. In the distance, a deerscare left a rhythmic hollow thump, an underlying percussion to the singing night chorus of insects. Lanterns illuminated the grounds with small pools of light. They had snuffed out several in hopes of a better view of the stars, a full moon enough light once their eyes adjusted. Around the corner, Hana and Effie were playing a silent round of the Generals’ Game. From where they sat, she could just see Hana still gripping the handle wrap of her blade, ever alert even as she moved the wooden pieces across the board.

When she had visited Elise in Nohr nearly half a year after the defeat of Anankos, the princess had been quick to pull her along into a variety of activities, her chatter elucidating things from the intriguing to the mundane. They had exchanged regular letters since, Sakura writing in a script Elise could understand. Her friend tried to learn some short phrases and characters, which she would attempt to add to the beginning and end of her dispatches in a nearly illegible hand that would have made her old calligraphy instructor distressed. Here in Hoshido, Elise was just as buoyant, but she seemed more willing to go Sakura’s pace. 

Earlier, Elise had asked to kiss her in the gardens and she had stuttered partial responses and avoided her hopeful gaze. Others were meandering the paths and she could feel their eyes on them in a way that made her burn up more than the feeling of her fingers laced with Elise’s. Their retainers were also present, following at a safe distance. She had pulled her hand away and looked at her feet, not having the heart to see Elise’s face crumble. A false cheer had blanketed the remainder of the afternoon, Elise claiming to be enjoying the peaceful Hoshidan spring and Sakura lamenting Elise missing the cherry blossoms by only two weeks.

Over a semi-private dinner with her siblings, Sakura explained a variety of different dishes to Elise who gave everything a taste and enthused over it all in a way she felt was charming. She looked at her siblings’ reactions to their guest and was relieved to see they were taking her eagerness in stride. 

Elise had worked hard to earn the right to be sent on this diplomatic mission. It would be her first on her own without her siblings though she wasn’t exactly alone as she had traveled with an entourage of retainers, advisors and lesser nobles. Another more eclectic group of scholars, writers, poets and artists had followed several days later as part of a cultural exchange program the youngest princesses had conceived over the course of their correspondence, Elise putting Sakura’s wistful ideas into action as she went directly to King Xander with a plan. A similar arrangement of Hoshidan artisans would be traveling from Hoshido to Nohr within several months with Sakura at their head.

Tensions between Nohrian and Hoshidan royals had cooled during their alliance and remained so years later despite all the rebuilding that was required and the reestablishment of Valla. Elise was well-liked across both parties and was starting to become well-respected as others recognized her ability to read situations and people. 

After dinner, Elise had opted to retire to her rooms, walking with Effie and Arthur in tow and stopping in her tracks when Sakura apologized and asked for more of her time, her voice stammering out the request.

Elise had complied, offering an arm and a bright smile. They made their way to the guest quarters after she had a quick word with Arthur who would be attending to her safety in the morning, Effie and Hana both preferring to train during the early hours. The two had taken up exercises together, capitalizing on their differences. Hana was like a hawk, sleek and precise in her movements. Effie, in contrast, was more of an ox, formidable in her massive armor and difficult to stop once in motion. Before a day of meetings and councils, Elise and she had watched one session and had been mesmerized by their movements only to learn they had spent time training together after their armies had combined. Her thoughts of earlier in the day were interrupted as Elise spoke.

“Camilla would often do my hair, especially if anything difficult had happened. It’s funny, now that I think about it, it was kind of like an apology,” Elise said, brushing out the ends of her rose mane in steady strokes before parting sections with practiced hands.

“I remember one time when Father called an audience with me and asked me to report on my magic studies. I could never be as good as Leo and I know he hated that I chose staves… It didn't go well. Like _really_ didn’t go well. After he dismissed me, Camilla was there and she made a big deal about having me sleep over in her room. Like it was a party just for us sisters. She wove lilac-colored ribbons in my hair,” she recounted, hands still working in gentle strokes,”It's what inspired me to dye parts of it later. I guess it was one of her ways to try to make a bad situation into a better one. I think it kind of worked because I remember what she said more clearly than what Father did though maybe it was because I was so nervous.”

Sakura waited for her to continue and felt the different strands crossing and coming together, weighing more heavily on her back.

“I’m sorry for earlier. I don't want your memories of this visit to be uncomfortable,” Elise said as she continued the braid, careful not to pull.

Sakura turned, feeling Elise's grip slip and the coil of the braid unravel.

“No! I-it's not like that!” she insisted, “I-it's not your fault.”

Elise's eyes were wide and they turned at the sounds of chairs shifting, their retainers having heard panicked notes in Sakura's voice. Both women had their own subtle gestures to wave off concern and their guards knew how to be discreet.

Sakura rose to her feet and pulled Elise to sit further in the room on some floor chairs.

“I just thought… from your letters, that you wouldn’t mind? I’m sorry if I read too much into them!” Elise said, reaching out for her hands. 

She was always more tactile than Sakura. Sakura was never sure if it was cultural or personal, but if it was Elise, she didn’t mind. Their fingers were in a loose hold as Sakura collected her scattered thoughts.

“I-I… am not opposed to your um offer,” she started to explain, feeling her cheeks color at the euphemism. 

She was grateful the room was mostly dark, beams of moonlight casting a milky glow that only reached to their shoulders. She could feel Elise's anticipation in the sudden tension of her arms, but she remained patient, something she might not have been inclined to do even a year ago, instead filling the void with a nervous giggle or an obvious transition. Sakura took a deep breath before continuing, hoping she could make herself clear without causing offense.

“I didn’t want it to be in front of everyone. I g-get nervous,” she stated, feeling even more flustered yet forcing herself to continue, “But if you would like, perhaps we can try again?”

Elise’s worried expression made the easy shift into a sunny smile that shown even in the dark. She pulled her hands back so she could throw her arms around Sakura. 

“Yeah! Of course!” she exclaimed, a sudden contrast to Sakura’s murmurs, but she was prepared for it.

She seemed to examine Sakura’s face, “But only if you’re sure.”

Sakura nodded her assent only for Elise to continue talking as she touched her own face in embarrassment.

“Gosh, I had to work up the guts for days to ask, but I guess I didn’t really think over the where and when. I just thought the garden looked pretty!”

She looked around the room and then out into the rock garden, the night creatures still buzzing. 

“This is good, too. Even better, I think,” she said with a nod.

It dawned on her that Elise was evaluating the atmosphere and felt herself smiling at the thought. Her attention became fixed on her partner as she saw her move to close the gap. Sakura’s eyes shut as she leaned in only to feel a feather-light touch on her chin. 

“I missed!” Elise proclaimed in dismay, unsettling the hush of the moment. 

The dramatic tension had left as well, which Sakura later thought allowed her to place her hands on either side of Elise’s face and bring their lips together for a soft kiss. Elise relaxed into it and sighed as they broke apart. She curled up next to her and leaned her head in the crook of Sakura’s neck, her hand reaching for hers again.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice content.

Sakura leaned her head against Elise’s, mind mulling several things over. She had no complaints about the kiss itself except for the brevity of it, like a pleasant breeze come and gone.

“You only wanted one?” she pondered, realizing too late that she had announced her thoughts.

She felt lips quirk upwards against her skin, Elise squeezing her hand in reassurance before she teased, “Weeell, I wouldn’t mind doing my first try over and I have to leave in a couple weeks. I won’t see you for over a _month_ , so that’s lost time right there that we should make up for, don't you think?”

Sakura giggled into a hand, feeling confident enough to caress a soft cheek, Elise nuzzling it in response. 

“It really is peaceful,” Elise said, gesturing to the garden with a free hand.

“Mmhmm.”

They edged closer to the veranda again, still inside where the screen doors could close and spent some time watching the night sky, pausing now and again to brush lips until a reluctant retainer inquired after Sakura’s need to retire for the evening. They had a day of meetings ahead of them after all.


End file.
